Suboxone

Has anyone been on suboxone and noticed it works better at lower doses, compared to the 12-16mg. target dosage for maintaince?? I was on 16mg. for about 10 days, and I just felt down, sluggish, depressed and so on. But I tapered my dosage from 16mg. a day down to 8 and it seems to work much better, I tapered down by 1mg a day, because some people do not realize that suboxone, even at 4mg. is a pretty high dosage because it is very potent. Let me know, Thanks and God Bless.

[Lynn79]

Absolutely.  I started at 4 mgs, and that was too much.  I felt loopy and high all day.  I've been on 2mgs a day for a year now, and it's perfect.  I don't know where the 12-16 mg target came from, but I believe it was decided before doctors were able to see the actual long term effects of this very powerful drug.

[ochooked]

OMG --  16 mg??   That is one huge dose of Sub.  I was addicted to 140 mg/day of Oxycontin and started on Sub at 2 mg twice a day.  Then I tapered from there but not fast enough to avoid some really horrid W/D's -- I was on Sub for 21 days.  My opinion is that Sub should only be taken as needed to avoid the really really bad W/D's.   You start by going into W/D and then taking only one or two mg and then wait for an hour --- most people can tell a real difference - enough so that they can still function but not alleviate all the symptoms of W/D.  Well, do whatever you have to do to get clean - but just beware of staying on Sub for too long.  I recommend you read the Health Pages (lower right of your screen) and look for a post titled "Members Experiences Coming off of Suboxone"  All the best -- I hope you will keep posting your own experience with Sub -- it will help you and others.

[ILoveLukey]

Hi Matt. I have been on Subs since February. My doc started me on 2 8mg. per day. I felt like a new person with a new lease on life. but I felt I did not need such a high dose.  I stayed with this for a few months. I hated the taste and did not look forward to taking my dose. . I cut back to 1 -8mg. per day. 1/2 morning 1/2 afternoon. Felt fine. I am going to try 1/4 pilll 2x day. My habit was about 4 to 8 vicodens per day. I don't think I needed that high of a dosage of Sub.  My addiction psycologist does not coucil me. I am in his office 5 minutes. He says how are you , write me your check for $100.00and faxes in my refill.  I think he wants me to stay on it so he keeps getting his $100.00/month from me. But I have taken it upon myself to start to wean off. Little nervous about getting down to the itty bitty subs but I am ready even if he is not.

[worried878]

we had a speaker come to out meeting last week..it is an AA meeting but cross addictions for the most part...she got up there and said.."sub is a full agonist and naloxone is the part that makes it a partial agonist..then she said it is impossible to become addicted to and if u do it is purely psychological...then she said sub is majic...and the therapuedic dose is 16 mg for 16 months

needless to say i was like u are a f-ing nut...it is a partial agonist and the naloxone has no significant effect when done under the tongue...also she said subutex is evil...I am like it is the same drug as suboxone just doesnt have the naloxone so u can shoot it up i guess if u were a heavy user...and I told her it is addicting and it even said so on the sub website...and i alos told her nothing is magic..hard work is required
course she is not an addict and told me i analyze stuff too much cos i am a nurse.....she is a addiction specialist and doesnt even know about the drug she is pushing...these facts were also stated in the literature she handed everyone and she must have never read it..i sware..the sub company must be paying her!

[ProdigalGirl]

Agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[girlfbears]

Hi

I went to hospital to detox and they put me on 8mg's but it wasn't enough, after the detox they sent me to a special centre that only specialised in  suboxone. They gradually took me up to the dose that seemed to work which is 24mg. If I go any lower I start to get withdrawals again. I have been on this dose now for 7 weeks and my whole life has changed. My family like me again and I enjoy my life. This has been a lifesaver. We haven't talked yet about how long I will be on this for. Until now I struggelled with my addiction for 6 years and kept relapsing but I feel sure being on the suboxone I won't relapse.

Sue

[Sam113]

Worried - WOW, I can't believe she said sub was not addictive???? what the hell , why am i experiencing w/d then?? what an idiot. lol

[mr.lucky66]

Yes it's very addictive. Lurkey, I can't believe some sub doc put you on this for a couple of vics a day. It's like using a shotgun to kill a fly.

[baj42]

Will people on suboxone require more as time goes by?  Is it like other opiates in the way you eventually need more to do the same job?

[leeisgettingclean]

hmmm good question and I think the answer is no. But not 100% sure